Intro / Recap
New series last week called Yes & Amen, on the promises of God.
The title comes directly from 2 Corinthians 1:20, our promise about promises:
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why
2 Corinthians 1:20, ESV
it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!”
2 Corinthians 1:20, NLT
And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
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No special word in Hebrew for promise, just “word.”
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Hebrew for “word” is also sometimes translated “deed”. It’s as good as done.
- Great example of this in Isaiah 55. Turn there with me.
“…so my word that comes from my mouth
Isaiah 55:11, CSB
will not return to me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”
“In the same way, the promise that I make
Isaiah 55:11, NET
does not return to me, having accomplished nothing.
No, it is realized as I desire
and is fulfilled as I intend.”
God’s words/promises are active, they accomplish things (i.e. “Let there be…”).
When God gives us a word, a promise, he intends for it to have an effect. And it will, because He’s God.
So out of around 7,500 promises from God to man, where do we even start?!
Well, I was thinking this week about how we get to know someone, when we first meet them—we ask questions?
- What’s your name?
- Where are you from?
- What do you do?
- So, tell me about yourself.
This kind of small talk, exploratory questions, help us understand at least the very basics of who they are. We’re trying to “get a read on them”, making judgments about whether we can trust them or not, if we like them or not, if they’re likely to be a friend or an enemy.
If we were able to have that kind of conversation
with God, what would His answers be?
So tonight, we’re going to focus in ond the first word God of self-description in the Bible.
- Certainly not his first self-revelation—He’s been revealing Himself from the very beginning, from creation itself.
- He’d already answered the first question when Moses asked it when He first met God at the burning bush, (“What’s your name?” “I Am”)
- But it is the first time He just came out and said, “This is what I’m like.”
Context: Moses is back up on Mount Sinai after the fiasco of the golden calf. He’s just finished pleading with God to spare Israel from annihilation for their utter rejection and disregard for the God who had just rescued them out of slavery in Egypt.
God had answered Moses’ request, “Show me your glory!” by passing by him after hiding Him behind a rock (Rock of Ages).
Then God tells him to carve out two new stone tablets (since he’d broken the first set!), and meet him on the mountain in the morning (must have been up all night carving stone tablets!)
So when Moses climbed back up the mountain, lugging these stone tablets with him the next morning, this is what happened:
The Lord came down in a cloud, stood with him there, and proclaimed his name, “the Lord.” The Lord passed in front of him and proclaimed:
The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin.
Exodus 34:5–7a
So to play out the scenario from before, if you were to meet God for the first time, and be bold enough to ask, “So, tell me about yourself!” The first word he choses to describe Himself: compassionate.
Definition of Compassion
English etymology of “compassion” is two words in Latin: “to suffer with”.
Hebrew word for compassion (rakhum) comes
from the root word (rekhem) for womb.
- So Hebrew concept of compassion is this picture of a mother’s tenderly caring for her vulnerable infant.
- Moms tend to be like that. Dads? “Meh, you’ll be okay. Rub some dirt on it!”
- The compassion of mothers is a reflection of the image of God in them.
That’s the first adjective God uses to describe himself. And you see him promising it and following through on His promise over and over again.
Garden of Eden
Could have wiped it all out and started over. “Let there not be…”
Nation of Israel
Over and over He rescues them, chooses them, cares for them. Over and over they turn away again, reject His mercy and kindness. And over and over again, He keeps calling them back, promising and delivering compassion.
If you’re still in Isaiah 55, turn back a few pages to chapter 49.
They will not hunger or thirst,
Isaiah 49:10
the scorching heat or sun will not strike them;
for their compassionate one will guide them,
and lead them to springs.
Shout for joy, you heavens!
Isaiah 49:13
Earth, rejoice!
Mountains break into joyful shouts!
For the Lord has comforted his people,
and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.
And look at verse 15, especially in light of what we learned
about the roots of the Hebrew word for compassion:
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.
Isaiah 49:15
Unfortunately, the answer to the first part is yes. But that’s not normal.
”But even if they do, I won’t.”
And so it goes.
The Compassion of Jesus
Jesus is God’s promise of compassion Personified. (the Word made flesh)
We saw it just a few weeks ago in Matthew:
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Matthew 9:36, NET
As he approached and saw the city, he wept for it… “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
Luke 19:41, Matthew 23:37
And in the greatest act of compassion the world has ever known, Jesus went to the cross. Compassion means “to suffer with”, he took it a step further, suffered for.
Even on the cross, in the worst physical, mental, and spiritual pain imaginable, as they drove the nails through his wrists, through his feet, what did he say?
“Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.”
Luke 23:34
There’s never been anyone in the history of the world more compassionate than Jesus Christ. And as his followers, the same should be true of us.
We should be children who look like their Father.
And don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit… be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.
Ephesians 4:30–32
What would it look like for you to
better reflect the compassion of God?
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If you believe God has shown compassion to you, how should that change the way you interact with others?
See the crowds through Jesus’ eyes.
Be quick to forgive.
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”
Mark 11:25
- Seek repentance for their good, not your satisfaction.
When to Cash In
A promise from God is like a check payable to order. It is given to the believer with the view of delivering to him some good thing. We are not meant to read it at our leisure and then forget about it. No, we are to treat the promise as a reality, as someone treats a check. We are to take the promise and endorse it with our own name by personally receiving it as true.
Charles Spurgeon
A. When you’re hurting.
- Hurt by others: If there’s anybody who knows how it feels, He does.
- Hurt by God: Pain in the moment, peace for eternity.
For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes each one he accepts as his child.
Hebrews 12:6, NLT
Even your pain is his compassion.
B. When you’re running.
Addy running away when she’s disobeyed.
She comes by it naturally—it’s what we’ve been doing since the Garden.
When you are tempted to run and hide, run toward him rather than away
Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy, and is rising up to show you compassion, for the Lord is a just God. All who wait patiently for him are happy.
Isaiah 30:18